Trump Gifts Xi Bald Eagle Statue Amid Diplomatic Efforts

President Donald Trump presented Chinese President Xi Jinping with a sculpture of a bald eagle, a symbol of the United States, during a state dinner at the White House. Trump stated that the gift embodies "the free and soaring spirit of America" and that he and First Lady Melania Trump participated in its design.

The exchange of gifts is a notable facet of international diplomacy, particularly in forging personal relationships between the leaders of major global powers. Daniel Kritenbrink, a partner at The Asia Group and former US diplomat, suggested that while complex issues are discussed, the personal bond between leaders remains significant. He noted that such relationships are especially important to Xi and are crucial for managing the relationship between the US and China, which he described as the world's most complex and consequential.

Gift-giving has been a characteristic element of the Trump presidency, with the president himself having received numerous valuable gifts during his term. Ole Jacob Sending from the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs observed that gift-giving, broadly defined, is integral to Trump's operational style.

During Xi's visit, he announced that China would send two giant pandas to Zoo Atlanta and establish a new student exchange program to bring 100,000 American students to China over five years. Xi referred to the pandas as "an envoy of friendship between the Chinese and the Americans."

The Art and Protocol of Diplomatic Gifts

While lavish gift-giving is more common in some regions like the Gulf states and autocratic governments, its practice in the West has been tempered by democratic regulations. In the US, the Constitution's emoluments clause limits the value of gifts a president can receive from foreign governments, currently set at $525. Gifts exceeding this limit typically become federal property unless the president purchases them personally. Gifts of higher value also require congressional approval unless funded personally by the president.

Sending highlighted that the process of selecting and exchanging diplomatic gifts is highly scripted, involving extensive negotiation at lower levels that can span weeks. Morten Skumsrud Anderson, who has studied diplomacy and gifts, emphasized that such exchanges are far from last-minute decisions.

Historical examples illustrate the varied outcomes of diplomatic gift exchanges. During Xi's 2013 state visit to the US, then-President Barack Obama gifted him a redwood bench, symbolizing where they had met. In contrast, a 2009 exchange saw then-British Prime Minister Gordon Brown give President Obama an ornamental desk pen holder, while Obama presented Brown with a set of DVDs reportedly incompatible with UK players.

Stakes in the US-China Relationship

Anderson noted that missteps in gift exchanges can be embarrassing, particularly when leaders are navigating significant international challenges. The current summit between Trump and Xi takes place amidst escalating concerns over artificial intelligence dominance and follows a period of intense trade friction between the two nations, which had been temporarily resolved by a truce.

Kritenbrink suggested that ceremonial aspects like flyovers, performances, and gift exchanges serve as a means to an end: maintaining stable US-China relations. He concluded that a fragile truce is preferable to a full-blown trade war.